Progressive Dies

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When a particularly complicated die is required, the progressive die process is often considered.  There are many decisions and compromises involved when producing a part using progressive dies.  Knowing in advance what the process entails is a great advantage.  Abbott Tool & Die can help with this decision which is usually determined by  two primary factors including the volume to be produced and the complexity of the part. Once these factors are identified, they are instrumental in designing and constructing the tooling process.

Abbott will work with you to address all factors in order to consider part quality, tool maintenance, and tooling life.  Before everything is finalized, trade-offs will be required as each decision will affect tooling costs.

Part Orientation

How will the part be run through the die? This is governed by the features of the part and critical tolerances. Then considered thought begins.

Optimizing material may require turning the part in the strip and changing the grain direction of the steel in the part. This affects the strength of any forms in the part. Going with the grain can cause cracking and fatigue in the metal.  This makes holding consistent form angles more difficult. Thus being more susceptible to problems with the chemical makeup of each part that is run.

Part configuration might well motivate you to rotate a part in the strip.

Another consideration requiring rotation of the part in the strip is the amount of lift to carry the strip through the die.

A last consideration for part orientation is that a part should be rotated so that the feed is as short as possible.

Carrying the Part

How parts are carried in the strip affects how smoothly the die feeds.  Lifting the strip for feeding produces consistent, quality parts.

Exiting the Die

Determining how a part exits from a die is often overlooked until the end of the design. It is frequently one of the more important factors in determining die design.

Determining the Number of Progressions

Once the basic design is determined, the correct number of stations can be assessed.  Die construction must be kept in mind when strip layout is finalized. Sometimes, empty stations will be included to prevent weakening a die if future modifications are found beneficial.  The ease of maintaining the tool should also be kept in focus to avoid costly maintenance.

Getting the basics right is critical to producing a quality, cost-effective die.  This is Abbott’s claim to fame.

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